


Anniversary Surprise

by SweetSass228



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst and Humor, Crossdressing, Gen, Happy Anniversary, Humor, Kidnapping, M/M, Pretty Noctis, i mean its kinda angsty cuz noct but chap 2 is more humor dont worry about it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-08 17:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12869490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetSass228/pseuds/SweetSass228
Summary: Ignis lands himself in trouble but manages to get the boys on the right track to finding him. Just as they're getting closer, Prompto and Gladio get roped into it and Noctis is left trying to find his friends with the help of Gladio's sister and a pretty mechanic. And he's willing to do anything to get them back.Anything.written for the Final Fantasy XV anniversary





	Anniversary Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> This is an idea I've had for a while now because I saw that part in Final Fantasy 7 where Cloud had to dress as a girl to rescue Tifa from the mob and I basically thought of Noctis in a pretty dress and heels because his friends were in danger.  
> This is my contribution to the FFXV Anniversary party and I feel like I should have written something more meaningful but you know what I love this game, I love these boys, and I love the fandom.
> 
> So, this is for you guys. Can't wait for another year of FFXV updates and stories to come! :D

According to the guide he found online about local fauna, the herbs Ignis needed were somewhere near this wooded area. Ignis had found the guide on his phone one night while searching for new recipes and it had yet to lead him astray. These woods were apparently known for their plentiful amounts of natural grown herbs and even some berries if the season called for them. It was a little farther from the haven than Ignis expected but if he got something out of it, it would be worth it. Well, according to the guide and the comments added.

 

It was getting dark out, quicker than he had expected, and Ignis began to wonder if he should spend more time looking or just head back to the haven with the boys. They did turn in earlier than usual because of Noct's back hurting more than normal today so they'd already had dinner but Ignis felt restless just sitting at the haven waiting for nightfall. The rest of them would probably already be asleep by the time he got back but he should call or text Gladio just in case. He was the most likely out of the three to be awake.

Just as Ignis was about to press send on Gladio's contact, he heard what sounded like a twig snapping close by and he tensed. Still a little too early for demons to be out but not too late for a wild animal to be lurking. Summoning a dagger, Ignis crouched and cautiously inched forward. His eyes scanned the trees and his ears were tuned in for any sound. There were plenty of wild animals active at this time at night, and Astrals forbid he find a nest of sorts. He had some fire magic that Noctis prepared the previous morning but that was always Plan B.

 

Getting closer, there was the sound of footsteps and something heavy landing in the dirt and grass. A deep, heavy voice barked out hushed commands to someone else and then there was more footsteps. It was people, and it sounded like they were moving something. 

Taking cover behind some thick bushes, Ignis peeked his head out just to get a glimpse of what they were doing. Three men were crouched down to the ground, surrounding something large that looked like it had been uprooted from the ground. Two men got behind it and, with some heavy grunting, lifted it just slightly so the other one could use a flashlight to examine it under the light. 

Ignis squinted to get a better glimpse and gasped softly at what he saw.

 

_A Lucian Royal Tomb._

 

How did they manage to find it? And how did it get underground? A tunnel nearby, or a natural occurrence? Didn't matter, he had to get this to Noctis.

 

Ignis pulled out his phone and made to sneak away when his shoe slid in the dirt and a twig snapped under his foot. He froze, phone in hand and dagger in the other, crouched behind the bushes when all sound suddenly ceased. The men's conversation died and Ignis waited for the inevitable shout of warning or an incoming attack. His grip on his dagger tightened and he could feel the leather in his gloves digging into his skin but there was still nothing. 

Taking his chances, Ignis drew in a breath and slowly tilted his head to peak through a gap in one of the bushes. The three men were gone but the tomb was still there, lying on the ground and covered in dirt. There was no sign of anyone these except for the shovels dug into the earth and the footprints in the mud.

"Shit." Ignis murmured under his breath and, once again taking a risk, pocketed his phone while keeping his stance low as he started backing up away from the scene. He had to get away and get to Noct. Even if the ones who found it didn't have malicious intent, that weapon belonged to the Lucis Caelum family and they couldn't afford to let one get away.

 

As soon as he was a reasonable distance away, he pulled his phone out again and quickly dialed Noct's number. He took idle steps towards the campsite as the phone ringed over and over, silently willing Noctis to wake up and answer his damn phone. Or at least wake up one of the other boys with that loud ass ringtone of his. 

The phone went to voicemail and Ignis swore, immediately looking around for any other sign of life. It was fairly dark now; demons were bound to be popping out of nowhere at anytime. He had to get back, but just in case...

 

"Noct, this is Ignis. I know you're most likely asleep by now but I need to leave this message. I came across some men and they have one of-" 

 

Something solid hit the back of his head and Ignis yelped as he fell to the ground, phone flying out of his hand. Two pairs of hands grabbed him and he tried to fight them off when that solid object hit him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. His arms were placed behind his back and his muscles were burning from the stretch but he didn't stop struggling. One of the hands pulled harder and Ignis stifled a yelp of pain. He tried to call on his magic to summon his daggers but he couldn't focus in hard enough. He heard the sound of a gun cocking and when he looked up, the barrel of a revolver was right in front of his face. Idly, he realized that the person holding the gun was blurred in his vision and he came to the conclusion that his glasses had been knocked off his face.

 

"Someone's been snooping. Don't you know that's rude?" A man's deep voice questioned him, threatening him with the tip of the gun barely touching Ignis' face. When he tried to look away in defiance, the man forcefully gripped his chin and brought him back, moving his head like he was examining him. 

"You look important. A nice suit, nicer face... and a nice phone." Through the darkness, Ignis could see the shape of the man's head move downwards and then there was a crunch that he knew was the sound of his phone being stomped and destroyed. Ignis could only hope that the voicemail went through or at least it woke someone up at camp.

 

"Hey, we gotta get this show on the road. Don's waiting and the daemons will be popping out soon. What do you wanna do with 'em?" One of the men holding Ignis down spoke to the one holding the gun (the ringleader?) and the hand on his chin let him go.

 

"If we let him go, he'll tell someone we were here, dumbass. Put him in the back and once we're done here we can leave. Now move it! The daemons will be coming out any second now and if your asses aren't in that truck with that fancy-ass coffin in the back, I'll leave you here for 'em!" The ringleader gestured something with his gun (completely unsafe, to be honest) and then Ignis was being shoved forward into the ground. When he tried to get back up, a bony knee landed hard on his back and the gun was placed on the back of his head.

"You, I get the feeling you're gonna be a handful if we keep you like this. You're lucky I'm feeling generous today, otherwise we would have killed you and left you as a snack for the creatures here. Just gotta keep you quiet..."

 

Before he could think, the weight was lifted off of him and the butt of the gun hit him across the face, his vision darkening completely.

 

~~~

 

A harsh beam of light struck Noct right in the eye as soon as he opened them and he grumbled while rolling over, groaning into his pillow. Why did this world hate him? He's working his ass off to save it, why does it do this to him? _Why can't he just sleep?_ A hero needs his beauty rest to function and Noctis required _a lot_ of beauty rest.

Something thudded right beside him and judging by the warmth and the way fingers curled around his shoulders and starting shaking him, Noctis guessed that it might have been Prompto.

 

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty! Rise and shine! Come on, come on come on come on!" Yep, that was Prompto.

 

Noctis grumbled and lazily swiped at the air, not even trying to hit anything just wanting to express his frustration in the most tired way possible. 

"Hey, we already let you sleep in! You're lucky Iggy isn't in here to splash cold water on your face. Well, I guess I could get Gladio to drag you by the ankles agai-"

" _I'm up._ "

 

After several minutes of 'waking up', Noct stumbled out of the tent and blinked at the bright morning light. It was later than they usually woke up but the air was fresh and the sun was out. For the first time in a few days, Noctis actually felt well rested and ready to take on the day.

Gladio was doing push-ups nearby, with Prompto sitting on his back for the extra weight. Looking around, there was no sign of Ignis. No breakfast, not even the smell of Ebony around.

 

"Where's Specs?" Noct asked the two of them and they both shared a look. 

"Dunno. He wasn't around when I got up this morning." Gladio answered while finishing his set. Prompto stood and offered his hand to the Shield, who didn't actually need it but was thankful nonetheless.

 

"I went out for a run when I got up. I figured he would be out exploring for some herbs or veggies or something. Didn't see him." Prompto added, a curious look on his face growing the more he thought about it.

 

That was strange. Ignis would never leave camp without telling anyone, and even if he did he wouldn't be gone for very long. At the very least he would wait for Gladio to wake up so they could go together. And Ignis wouldn't leave camp without a cup of coffee. _Iggy was actually really scary without his coffee in the morning, Noctis didn't want to relive those events._

 

"You didn't find anything? Like, a note or something that would tell us where he went?" Noctis tried, looking around the campsite for any sign of his advisor. Anything at all.

"Nope. We tried calling him too but he wouldn't answer. And... that doesn't sound anything at all like Ignis." Prompto's voice faded the more he thought about it, eyebrows furrowing in concern. Gladio wore a similar look as he folded his tattooed arms.

"Noct, try calling him. He's most likely to answer for you than for us." Gladio suggested, making a gesture to Noct's phone in his pocket.

 

Noctis nodded and pulled out his cellphone, swiping across the screen to unlock it. He was about to go into his contacts when he noticed an icon flashing on the top of the screen. A voicemail. From Ignis.

 

"Yeah, I got a voicemail from him. But... this is from last night." Noct realized as he read the timestamp on the message icon. He was aware of the other two crowding around him and his phone but he was too engrossed in finding out what this message said.

 

A sense of dread filled Noctis entirely as he listened to the message. Having known Ignis the longest, he could detect the subtle hint of fear and paranoia in Ignis' voice before the phone dropped and someone else's voice started speaking. Even though it was muffled, Noct could hear the threatening hint in that voice, clearly a man's, and then the message cut out abruptly. 

The look on his face must have said it all because Prompto and Gladio were both looking at him with a concerned look on their faces. Silently asking what the message meant and if Ignis was okay.

 

"Which way did he go last night?"

Following the path Ignis walked down the night before, the trio jogged through the woods for any sign of the advisor. A footprint, a piece of clothing, maybe his phone. Anything that gave them any indication of where he could have been taken.

Noctis led the way down, eyes ready and scanning for anything out of the ordinary. These weren't woods they were familiar with but that just meant they had to be extra vigilant. Prompto and Gladio were right behind him, heads whipping back and forth, searching for the same thing Noct was looking for. 

 

Something crunched under Noct's boot and he jumped back in surprise, bumping into Prompto as he did so. Mumbling a half-hearted apology, Noct looked down at the dirt to see something buried in the dirt. He kneeled down to take a closer look and held back a gasp when his fingers touched it. Someone had clearly tried to cover this up, but had done a piss poor job of it, because Noctis had to dig a little to get it out.

It was a phone, Crownsguard issued judging by the sigil marked on the back. Someone had smashed it and tried to hide it; who else could this be except the people who took Iggy? Noct tried to hold it up to further examine it but the flimsy, wrecked pieces fell apart in his hands and in the dirt. The Crownsguard symbol was cut clean in half, with wiring sticking out of both halves of the phone.

 

"This... This has to be Iggy's phone. So he was here. Someone took him from here." Noctis said while standing, cradling the few pieces of the phone that fell apart in his hands. He turned around to show Prompto and Gladio but only Gladio seemed to take interest. Prompto was hovering around some nearby bushes, moving sticks and leaves aside to look at something.

 

"Prom?" Noct questioned, carefully handing one of the pieces of the phone to Gladio while approaching the blonde. Whatever it was, it was captivating Prompto. 

 

Prompto jumped when Noctis approached and laid a hand on his shoulder, his arms holding back bushes to reveal something shimmering in the light. The light caught Noct's eye and he looked down, his shoulders slumping slightly and his jaw dropping at the sight of Ignis' glasses dangling from a short branch. One of the lenses was cracked and there had to be damage to the hinges from the way it was sitting there. Noctis carefully reached out and untangled the glasses from the branches. 

Gladio joined them as Noctis examined the glasses, a sense of forlorn air surrounding them. Ignis' glasses and his phone found in the same place. This was supposed to be helpful, they knew where Ignis was now. They knew what happened. But they didn't know where to go from here. Other than Ignis' things, there was no other sign of him or whoever took him. They had no leads.

 

"What do we do now?" Prompto's quiet voice broke the silence between the three. Noct could vaguely feel his hand gliding across his back in an attempt to comfort him, which he appreciated for the most part.

Gladio made a low sound beside him and then heavy footsteps trudged around in the dirt behind him. Gladio often paced when he was upset or aggravated, if he couldn't train or do anything else. Seeing him like that made Prompto more nervous, and Noctis could feel his fingers start to dig into the fabric of the prince's jacket. If he wasn't so focused on holding Ignis' glasses like they were the most fragile thing in the world, he would grab a hold of him and tell him it would be okay. But he couldn't lie.

 

A sudden wave of realization hit him and Noctis grabbed Prompto's hand, carefully shoving Iggy's glasses into his outstretched hands and then turning on his heel to rush back to camp. His two companions glanced at each other before gathering the found objects correctly and following their prince, stumbling over brush and twigs in an effort to catch up to him.

Noctis yanked his phone from his jacket pocket as he struggled to remember where the campsite was, hastily scrolling through his contacts. Narrowly ducking to avoid a tree branch, Noct pushed a button and brought the phone to his ear, willing the other person on the line to pick up. Gladio and Prompto were close behind, he could hear them traipsing through the forest brush.

 

"Dino, I got a favor to cash in. It's important."

 

~~~

 

A quick chat with the reporter ended with an arranged meeting in a Lestallum cafe. Noct had gotten Dino to cough up some information he knew about any local gangs or mobs but both prince and reporter agreed that it would be easier to go over their findings in person. Dino was headed to Lestallum anyway and they were nearby so it would only be a short drive.

Without Ignis as the designated driver, Noct slid into the driver's seat after all their camp equipment had been packed up and put into the Regalia. He had the wheel in an iron grip the entire drive to the town. No one spoke a word as they drove, not even when Noctis was obviously going over the speed limit and wasn't even wearing his seatbelt. Ignis would yell at him for this kind of reckless behavior; he wished for that and nothing else at this moment. 

 

The sight of Lestallum calmed their nerves just slightly. Dino had said that he had information with them, they could only hope that it would lead them somewhere good. Something that could lead them back to Ignis.

Noctis parked the Regalia and they all wasted no time in getting out of the car. Noct sent a quick text to Dino to tell him they had arrived and he responded just a minute later, giving them a name of the cafe they were to meet up. It was a place they had actually seen before, nearby the Leville, but had never gotten the chance to eat there. Ignis had mentioned wanting to try the food there a few times while they'd been there.

 

Dino was sitting at a small outside table when they got there, sipping on a cup of something while scrolling idly through his phone. The reporter looked up at the sound of incoming footsteps and gestured for the three to take a seat. Three chairs were already pulled out on the opposite end of the table, but Dino said that he hadn't been waiting very long for them.

 

"Alright, your Highness. I can get that you guys aren't in the mood to play any games, so this is what I got for ya." Dino leaned down to dig into a bag Noctis hadn't noticed was there before and he pulled out a manila envelope. He tossed it onto the table for the three of them to dig through while also flagging down a waiter to order more drinks.

 

"Summarize it. Do you know who these guys are?" Gladio asked while Noctis was already going through what little Dino had, eyes frantically searching every piece of paper he came across.

"Don't really have an official name for 'em, but they're known to be around that area yous was staying at last night. There's a town near that area that's kinda been under their control. There's a guy there, goes by Don Avidita, he runs the whole operation. His men are most likely the one that took your guy." Dino paused to take a sip of what smelled like tea before continuing. "I got contacts that can tell me where he is. I can slip the info to you by tonight."

 

At that, Noctis finally raised his head and fixed Dino with a glare. "Tonight? We need to find Ignis sooner than that." 

Dino shrugged rather casually, which only made Noctis angrier, and swirled his drink in his hand. "Sorry, your Highness. I get where you're comin' from, but my hands are tied here. I had to pull in some favors of my own to make this happen. And don't get me wrong, I like Ignis I really do, but I'm working as fast as I can here." 

 

Noctis still wasn't satisfied with that answer and he wanted to argue more but Prompto gripped his shoulder and stopped him. 

"We understand. Thanks, Dino. We're just glad that you managed to help us out here." For once, Noctis was annoyed with Prompto's avid niceness. Why didn't anyone understand that they had to find Ignis before something happened to him?!

"No problem, kid. I'll contact you when I've got something. 'Til then, I'd recommend staying in town. Get yourselves a nice room and try to relax for a few hours." Noct didn't say anything but his displeasure was clear on his face as he stared Dino down.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, Prince Noctis. My contacts are good. Your advisor friend will be back home by tomorrow." Dino's confidence didn't do much to fix Noct's attitude but he had no choice but to accept the terms. He the closest thing they had to a lead and if Dino proved reliable, they might just get Ignis back sooner than expected.

 

Dino let them keep the info he gave them and finished his drink fairly quickly after their chat. Gladio told him that they would pay so he could leave, and he ordered some tea for Noctis to help calm his nerves. He was practically radiating anger and frustration, which only seemed to grow the longer he stared at the photos and notes in front of him. He even seemed to frighten the waiter away when he came with their drinks.

"Noct, chill out. Don't give me that look, you know we're all worried about Ignis." Gladio matched Noct's glare when the prince whipped his head to look at him. "Drink your tea and we'll go meet Iris at the Leville. I told her to rent a room in my name."

 

Prompto was quiet beside him but his fingers were wrapped tight around his cup. His drink was gone and the cup had been empty for a while but just holding the cup gave him some security. Gladio didn't look at either of them, his eyes were focused on the crowds passing by them. As if Ignis was hiding among them and would pop out at some point to soothe their worries. His cup was still mostly full but he would take idle sips occasionally, as if it was something of a routine for him. Noct watched him out of the corner of his eye when he finally decided to put the photos down, timed how long he took in between sips.

 

He was still incredibly frustrated and confused and upset. But they were right: they couldn't do anything until Dino's contact got in touch with them and gave them more info. Even if he stared at these photos all day and night, he wouldn't get anything from it. He was just... He needed Ignis back. He missed him. Missed the way he would linger near him, missed the way he would smell faintly of Ebony and lavender. 

Noctis slid the folder away from him and took a drink of his cold tea, his fingers fiddling with Ignis' glasses sitting in his jacket pocket.

 

~~~

 

After finishing their tea and having a few cookies after realizing no one had any breakfast, the three of them made their way to the Leville. Noctis carried the manila folder with him the entire walk, fingers clenched tight around the paper material. It was well into the afternoon by the time they made their way to the hotel and checked in. Gladio sent a quick text to his sister and she told him which floor they were on.

 

"Gladdy!" Iris squealed and launched herself at her older brother, wrapping her arms around his neck. Gladio, as always, wrapped his big arms around her tiny body but Noctis noticed the way he seemed to hold on tighter than usual, how he buried his face in her neck and closed his eyes.

 

When she let go of him, Iris made her way to hug Prompto, who honestly looked like he needed it (and Noctis was upset with himself that he didn't think of it beforehand), before going up to Noctis. As emotional and frustrated as he was, hugging Iris always felt nice. She was dainty and sweet but she was an Amicitia so there was definitely some muscle behind them. But they were soft, like she was, and they were exactly what he needed to help him calm down.

 

After hugs were given and smiles were shared for a brief moment, they all sat down and recapped what had happened. Gladio had only told Iris that something had happened with Ignis and they were still figuring things out but now they had the opportunity to talk about their new information and let Iris in on the discussion. When she heard the truth of what happened, Iris looked like she was about to cry until Gladio put an arm around her. 

Noctis felt a sudden wave of emotion as he pondered on what Ignis would do if he found out how many people were so worried about him, wondering if he was alright.

 

Noctis handed the envelope to Iris for her and Gladio to look at while sitting next to Prompto on the opposite bed. Gladio was going through the notes and pointing things out to her, but their voices were like fuzz in Noct's ears. His mind was running a mile a minute and he could feel a headache coming on. The weight on the bed shifted for a moment and then a white pill was shoved in his face.

Prompto gave him a warm smile and offered him a glass of water with his other hand. Noctis returned the smile and gratefully took the painkillers and water. Already, he was starting to feel a little better. Now he just needed some food and a little rest and Ignis and everything would be back to normal. Well, normal for them. They still had to reclaim Lucis and the Crystal. 

But, Ignis came first.

 

Iris, Astrals bless her, stood right up and seemed determined to lift everyone's spirits, even after hearing the details of the plan. "Come on, we have some time to kill before Dino gets back to us. What should we do?" She asked while springing up from the bed, looking around the room.

As if on cue, Noct's stomach growled as loud as could be in the suddenly quiet room. Three pairs of eyes turned to look at him and he felt a harsh wave of embarrassment enveloped him, along with a sense of deja vu when the exact same thing happened during a council meeting with his father. Oh Gods, that had been so embarrassing.

 

"Well, we didn't exactly get breakfast today. And lunch was kinda... meh." Prompto answered for him, once again swooping in to rescue his prince. 

 

' _Oh my Gods, Prompto, you're a saint. I'm naming you a saint when we get home. I'm naming you a noble, a knight, a saint, I'll appoint you the newest Astral. Gods I'm hungry._ '

 

"Iris, you know any place around here that serves some good food?" Gladio turned to his sister, who was already beaming and looking ready to burst with her ideas. 

 

Iris had spent more time in Lestallum than all of the boys combined so she pulled up different restaurants on her phone and allowed the boys to choose the restaurant and what they wanted to order, passing the phone back and forth between each other as they debated and decided on what would be good. They were all pretty hungry and running on nothing but tea and mediocre biscuits from a cafe (Iggy would be disappointed in the food but they hadn't tried the coffee there yet, and the tea was pretty good) so they unanimously agreed to spend their gil on a large dinner meal. 

They weren't really in the mood to go out to eat so Iris set up the order and delivery while the boys tried to relax. Just a few more hours until Dino was bound to contact them, they just had to wait it out for a little longer. 

Noct spent his time pondering on what to do and preparing himself for the information they were gonna get. As a way to keep himself busy, and because it was irritating the hell out of him, he dug around in Ignis' bag until he had Ignis' glasses kit where he found a spare lens. He remembered watching Ignis replace it a few years back (and of course, because Ignis is Ignis, all the supplies were already there) and it only took a few minutes until they were fixed. It wasn't much but at least it eased his mind and they could give them back to Iggy when they found him.

As time went on, his worries continued to grow and paranoia manifested after a while of being left alone with his own thoughts. Ignis was a trained Crownsguard member, he trained with Noctis and Gladio for years, he has the ability to summon magic and he was damn good at using _Fira_ and enchanting his own daggers (he was better than Noctis with magic, how was that fair?). They'd just caught him off guard, he could have escaped if he hadn't been overwhelmed. He heard it over the phone, someone had attacked him and had to have pinned him down. Ignis would never go down with a fight.

He was going to be okay; they just had to find him and lend him a quick hand. And by tomorrow, they would all wake up in the hotel to the smell of Ebony coffee and some delicious breakfast.

 

Iris spent some time in her room next door while they all waited for their food. Noctis was first in the shower and he made it quick, drying his hair and dressing in the bathroom so he could let someone else take it. Prompto and Gladio both showered and each time one of them would come out of the bathroom, Noctis would be either pacing and nibbling on his lips or his nails, or standing above the desk in the room with the notes laid out in front of him.

They didn't want to say anything, because nothing would persuade Noct to sit until Dino rang, but they showed their own way of caring. They missed Ignis just like Noctis, but Noct and Ignis had a special relationship because they'd known each other the longest. Prompto didn't offer words, but placed a glass of water on the desk with a bottle of painkillers just in case the headaches would come back. And Gladio didn't even have to say anything, just placed a hand on the small of Noct's back or on his shoulder every time he passed him. It helped, even with no words shared. They helped just being there.

 

Iris came bursting into the room soon after, happy to announce that their food was ready. 

 

"I'll just go out and grab it. Be back in a flash!" Iris made to dash out the door when Gladio grabbed her by her tiny wrist and pulled her back.

"Hold up there, hot shot. Noct could use your help looking over some stuff-," 

"I do?"

"-we just wanna make sure we don't miss anything. Prom and I can go get the food, just chill out here for a little while." 

 

Gladio gave Noctis a sly little grin when Iris looked towards the prince and Noctis could do nothing but smile and nod in agreement with her looking right at him.

 

"Well, I-I guess I could. I'll help you out, Noct." Iris smiled ear to ear as she approached Noctis and he slid a couple of notes her way just to give her something to do.

"Just, uh... help me find anything suspicious. This is what Dino gave me, and this is supposed to be a note he got from someone who used to work for the guy who took Iggy. There might be something there that we're not seeing. But you're smart, you'll probably find something we couldn't." Iris blushed at Noct's words, even though she tried to hide it, and Noctis had to admit that was kinda cute. 

He ignored Gladio and Prompto cooing behind him and flipped them off when Iris wasn't looking. The door shut behind them a moment later and Noctis turned his attention back to Iris when she thought she found something new in the notes.

 

~~~

 

The food smelled delicious in the bags, which only made their stomachs rumble more and more as they walked. The restaurant wasn't very crowded and the food was waiting for them when they arrived so they were on their way back to the hotel where Noct and Iris were waiting.

They made a turn down an alleyway when Prompto spoke up.

"Hey, Glads?"  
"Hm?"

Prompto paused for a moment but Gladio let him collect his thoughts before he continued.

"Do you think... Do you think Iggy's alright?" His voice went quiet towards the end of his sentence and his shoulders slumped but he stared right up at Gladio as he spoke.

Gladio only smiled and nudged Prompto with his shoulder, his hands occupied with carrying the bags of food. "He's gonna be fine, Prom. We're gonna find out where he is and by the time we get there he's gonna have all their asses kicked and he's gonna be sitting there waiting for us."

"Yeah, that's probably true. He's gonna have a cup of Ebony in his hand, too." Prompto giggled and tried to nudge Gladio back but the wall of a man barely moved an inch. "He doesn't have his glasses either, he's gonna be all squinty when we find him."

"Hey, Noct fixed his glasses. Besides, he would be _pissed_ if we-"

 

Gladio grunted when something hard hit the back of his head and his grip relaxed on the bags. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as he dropped to his knees and Prompto yelped in the background. Pairs of footsteps were surrounding them and there was a struggle but damn whatever had hit him, hit him _hard_.

By the time his senses had come back, guns were pointed at his head and Prompto was locked in a headlock with a gun pushed against the temple of his head. He was terrified, that much was obvious, but he looked so determined to break free despite the danger. Gladio made a move to save him but the barrel of one of the guns pointed directly at his forehead and there was a click as the safety was turned off.

 

"Alright, we don't much time for this so we're gonna make this quick. Really, you should be thanking us for this." Someone behind Gladio, a man judging by the voice, barked out and then a harsh, loud scraping noise came from behind him.

The moment he realized that the sound he was hearing was electricity, something sharp hit him in the ribs and his body convulsed with shocks. He could distantly hear Prompto shouting before everything became muffled and the only thing he could focus on was the pain and the black dots appearing in his vision. Whatever was jabbing him pressed harder into his skin and Gladio would have screamed if he hadn't collapsed and completely passed out. His body jerked with aftershocks but he was completely unconscious.

 

Just like that, it was over and Gladio was taken out. The gun pressed to Prompto nudged him hard in the head and the instinct to struggle came back tenfold. Someone else grabbed his wrists and he tried to pull away, use his Crownsguard training to take anyone out. His foot came into contact with something and then a gun hit him across the face, cutting his cheek and making him hiss in pain.

While he was disoriented, someone gripped his wrists and pulled them behind his back, tying them together with something tight and not at all flexible. They pushed him forward and he would have fallen over if someone hadn't caught him by his hair and forced him to walk forward. Prompto willed himself to lift his head and look at their attackers, just so he knew who they were.

 

They were wearing masks with suits and some of them had guns strapped on their backs. Their appearance were clearly meant for intimidation (and it was working but Prompto would never admit it, didn't want to give them that satisfaction), but his eyes were drawn to the badge on the sleeves of their suits. He remembered seeing that symbol from all the times he walked by the desk and saw Noctis engrossed in one photo of the same emblem.

These were the same guys who had taken Ignis. And now they were taking him and Gladio. Which meant that they were going to go after Noctis next.

 

The man behind him pushed him forward again and Prompto fell against the side of a car. Two men were dragging Gladio along the sidewalk towards the car, and Prompto had to force himself to look away just so he wouldn't see them treat his friend like a... a dead body. _He just looked so limp like that._

 

The door opened and Prompto was shoved headfirst into the car, his legs being kicked inside with little to no care. They shoved Gladio in alongside him and Prompto had to scoot himself over to make room and crawl over to Gladio to be near him. The car door slammed once they were both inside and Prompto leaned over Gladio just to look out the window. He could see the rooftop of the Leville from where they were and he kept his eyes trained on it as the car hastily pulled away and started speeding down the road.

 

' _Be careful, Noct. We're gonna be okay._ '

**Author's Note:**

> note: i am uploading late at night just to keep up with the anniversary so im gonna go back and do some edits later on and add the next chapter soon


End file.
